Michigan State University

Producers are increasingly planting cover crops to improve soil quality, help manage weeds or pests, and provide livestock forage – but is root rot a possibility when pulses, specifically peas and lentils, are added to improve the nutrition of the mix?

Improving Pastures by Frost Seeding Legumes During the Month of March

March 1, 2023 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Source: Michigan State University Extension

March is the month across much of Michigan to improve pastures by frost-seeding legumes like clovers or some grasses into them. Frost-seedings are most successful when the seed is broadcast approximately 45 days before grass growth begins in your area.

[Video] Improving Soil Compaction Using Cover Crops

July 11, 2022 | Posted in Soil Health

In this video from Michigan State University, Paul Gross shares cover crop recommendations for fields with compacted soil, why you want to choose covers with a tap root, why red clover, alfalfa or radish might be good choices and more.

[Video] Using a Soil Pit to Determine Soil Health

July 22, 2021 | Posted in Termination

In this video from Michigan State University Extension, Paul Gross explains how you can dig a little and learn a lot about soil health on your farm through a soil pit.

[Video] Interseeding Alfalfa into Corn

June 9, 2020 | Posted in Grazing

Dr. Kim Cassida, Forage & Cover Crop Specialist with Michigan State University, explains how to increase forage yield in alfalfa, why you should reconsider planting spring-seeded alfalfa, how alfalfa acts like a cover crop in corn, and more.

Calculating the Value of Cover Crops

By Julia Gerlach posted on August 5, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health

Cover crops and other regenerative agriculture practices have been getting a massive amount of attention lately. There have been stories about them in major news outlets like Forbes and the New York Times and politicians have been working these concepts into their speeches and climate platforms, spreading the word about the benefits of keeping the soil covered with diverse living plants.